


Falling in Reverse

by TooSel



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Harvey ends up with a different occupation, M/M, Mutual Pining, Reversed Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 10:02:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11438544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TooSel/pseuds/TooSel
Summary: “Let’s do this again,” Harvey says, holding out his hand. “Harvey Specter, chief of the mail room.”“Mike Ross, associate.”In which Mike is a legit lawyer and Harvey never made it out of the mail room.





	Falling in Reverse

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gee_Dannie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gee_Dannie/gifts).



> Many, many thanks to Gee_Dannie for the continued support and giving me the idea for this as well as big points of the plot. You’ve been a great help!

If Mike had known that being a lawyer was going to be like this, he would have thought twice about signing the contract.

Okay, that is probably a lie.

But it's his first day – the first hour of his first day, really – and he is already questioning the sanity of his boss and everyone around him, including himself.

That Louis Litt is one of a kind has been clear from the outset, but Mike thought they'd found some sort of common ground when the interview hit off like nobody's business. Louis instantly recognized Mike's memory as his greatest asset, making a show out of questioning and letting himself be questioned until he had to admit that Mike knew what he was about and wasn't just an empty suit with an – admittedly outstanding – Harvard degree.

He got hired within the hour.

Louis sent him home after the interview to read up on anything related to corporate law he could get his hands on, telling him to get ready for his first day the following week.

Which is today. Mike showed up half an hour early only to be met by Louis at the elevator, who then gave him the quickest tour of the place Mike can imagine (“You can ask one of the paralegals to show you around if you need to, but you won't, right?”, to which Mike had no idea what to say) before he assigned him his cubicle. That's when it all started to go a bit downhill.

Louis produced a huge stack of files out of nowhere, pushing it into Mike's arms. He then proceeded to give him a slightly weird but mostly terrifying speech about what his life was going to entail from now on, comparing him to a pony while he loaded even more files onto his desk before finishing on, “Oh, and don't forget to get your ID. I expect the Sallington briefs proofed in two hours.”

Before Mike could as much as agree he turned and left, leaving it to Mike to put down the files and hurry after him.

By the time he caught up, Louis was already in his office and his secretary held out a hand to stop him.

“He's busy.”

“Look, I just need to ask him...” He took a deep breath before explaining, “He told me to get my ID and then left me with this huge stack of work but I have no idea where to go, I need to get that done but I don't even know on which-”

He must have cut a pitiful figure because the woman only stared him down for a moment before having mercy on him. He absorbed the directions gratefully, vague as they were.

“Hurry up,” she finished, and Mike instantly turned and obeyed because the stern look in her eyes was at least as terrifying as the one Louis had given him.

And now he's hurrying through the halls of one of the lower floors, trying to find out where exactly he needs to go.

“On the right side, next to a big plant. Door should be open,” Mike repeats to himself. “Very helpful.”

There is a plant next to almost every door, but only one of them is open. Mike glances inside, sees a lot of people and a lot of envelopes and official looking stuff and figures that he must be right.

Most of the people don't even look up from their work when he enters, but Mike's eyes catch on a man sitting behind a desk on the side, a few years older than him and wearing a suit that must have cost a fortune. Worth every dollar, though. Definitely.

The man is looking right back at him with a quirked eyebrow, and Mike bans any thoughts about his (admittedly very good) looks and steps forward.

“Um, excuse me? Sorry, I'm here because-”

“I know why you're here. You're early,” the man interrupts him, giving him a once-over. “Pleasure to meet you. I'm Harvey Specter. I'm sorry, did you not have anything else to wear?”

That makes Mike stop short. “What?” he asks, a little dazed, wondering if really everyone in this goddamn firm is insane.

The man narrows his eyes.

“Look, I know this is 'just' the mail room, but you think first impressions don't matter here? Think again. You want to work for one of the best law firms this city has to offer and you show up wearing a suit like this? It's not even your first day and you already make me consider firing you.”

“I- what? It _is_ my first day, what do you-”

Mike is pretty sure he has lost track of the conversation they are having at some point, but the man – Harvey Specter – looks equally confused.

“What are you talking about?”

“What are _you_ talking about?” Mike retorts, then looks down the length of his body. “And what's wrong with this suit?”

“The question is what isn't,” Harvey gives back with disdain. “It's at least a size too big, the quality is shit, and it clearly wasn't tailored to your body. Plus, you're wearing a goddamn skinny tie.”

Mike opens his mouth, then closes it. “Well, not all of us have a shitload of money at hand to invest in clothing, so...”

“Clothes are how we present ourselves to the public. People judge us based on what we wear, whether we like it or not. You need to present yourself the way you want to be perceived.” He gives him a scrutinizing look. “Anyway, I have no idea what you were on about just now, but you've clearly got a lot to learn so I'll give you another chance. Could I see your identification before we start?”

“Uh... isn't that what I'm here for? I mean, aren't you supposed to give me that?”

Harvey narrows his eyes, sitting back in his chair. “Okay, is this a joke? Did Donna send you?”

“I don't know who Donna is and at this point I'm honestly scared to ask what's going on anymore. Look, I just want to get my ID and get this over with so I can start with the massive pile of work on my desk.”

“You're not here for the job interview?”

“No. And... you're not the guy with my ID, I take it?”

“Nope.”

They look at each other for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“Let's do this again,” Harvey says, holding out his hand. “Harvey Specter, chief of the mail room.”

“Mike Ross, associate.”

“If you want to get your ID, you're in the wrong place.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Mike replies dryly, then sighs. “First day. Can't really get any weirder.”

“Who sent you here?”

“One of the secretaries from upstairs. Red hair, really terrifying?”

Harvey clearly knows who he's talking about. “Ah, yes. That was Donna.” He gives him an assessing look. “If you get on her good side you have nothing to worry about. She's a valuable friend to have in this place. If you cross her, however...”

“Wasn't planning on it,” Mike assures him. Harvey smirks. Then he sits back, a frown crossing his face.

“So if Donna sent you here, your boss is...”

“Louis Litt.”

“Good god,” Harvey mutters.

Mike swallows. “That... is not very reassuring.”

Harvey gives him a sympathetic look. “Don't listen to me, get your own impression. And get on that guy's good side too, if you can. Just... good luck with him. Keep your head up.”

“Thanks. I mean, he just compared me to a pony, so...”

Harvey lifts his eyebrows. Mike just shrugs.

“Well. I shouldn't keep you, lest he comes trampling in here to drag you out by your skinny tie.”

“Hey, leave my tie alone!”

“As soon as you get one that is deserving of that name,” Harvey promises. He rummages around in his drawer, then takes out a plan of the floor. “That's where you can get your ID. You're here.”

“Alright, got it. Thanks.”

“You can take that with you,” Harvey says when Mike hands it back.

“No, that's okay.” He tips his head with a smile. “I'll remember it.”

Harvey gives him a look. “Don't come running back here when you get lost because you forgot the way.”

“I won't forget. I remember everything. Well, almost everything.”

“Oh, do you now.”

Harvey clearly doesn't believe him. Mike knows he should get going, but there is something about Harvey that makes him want to continue this, that makes him want to show him that there's more to him than meets the eye.

“That list,” Mike says, nodding towards a sheet of paper on his desk. “Can I see it?”

Harvey glances at the list, then at him before handing it to him. Mike reads it quickly, then gives it back.

“Ask me any name. I'll tell you what it says about them on the document.”

Harvey narrows his eyes. He scans the page, then looks up at Mike and says, “Jack Carter, seventh-”

“Seventh floor, three deliveries, one of them fragile, two confidential. Special note: _For your hard work, love M._ ”

Harvey stares at him. “Melissa Anderson,” he challenges, and Mike promptly describes the entirety of her six lines long delivery.

“Jim Woodstock,” Harvey asks next, though Mike can tell that he knows he is going to get everything right. He does, and Harvey drops the list.

“How do you _do_ that?”

“Eidetic memory,” Mike explains, tipping his temple. “I read something, I understand it, I never forget it.”

Harvey tilts his head. “Impressive.”

“I could recite the whole thing to you forwards and backwards. Ask me again the next time we meet, I'll still be able to.”

Harvey doesn't quite smile, but the corner of his mouth lifts. “A boaster, are we?”

Mike shrugs. “Just honest.” He grins at him. “So I got the job?”

Harvey rolls his eyes. “Don't push it, kid.”

Mike's grin widens when this time he smiles for real.

“Well.” He's reluctant to leave, but he's already late as it is. “I won't keep you any longer. Sorry for wasting your time.”

“Not a problem,” Harvey says, his gaze resting on him. “This has been most entertaining.”

Mike smirks at him. “Likewise. Always good to see a semi-friendly face on the first day.”

Harvey snorts. Mike gets up, bending down to pick up an envelope from the floor. “You've got mail!” he declares cheerfully as he puts the letter on the desk, wondering if Harvey will get the reference. His hand lingers on the envelope for a second before he straightens to leave.

Harvey is watching him with a considerate look. “I wanted it to be you,” he calls after him. “I wanted it to be you so badly.”

Mike grins. “Don't cry, Shopgirl.” He heads for the door with a salute. “See you around!”

The smile sticks on his face the entire way to the right room. The thought of having to go back up and face the terrifying world of corporate law is still intimidating, but after the encounter just now he thinks that the day can't be all that bad anymore.

* * *

Harvey didn't expect to see much of Mike after their chance meeting – it's a big firm and he's not exactly up there with the top dogs – so he is surprised to find Mike sliding into the chair in front of his desk only a few days later, giving him a crooked smile.

“Sorry to keep you from work again, I promise I won't let it become a habit, but I brought coffee?”

“Mike Ross, back from the fiftieth floor so soon? What an unexpected pleasure.” Harvey accepts the cup. He tries the coffee and smiles when he finds it exactly to his liking. “How did you know?”

“I'm just that good?”

“Try again.”

“Alright, Donna told me.”

Harvey smirks at the confession. Smart kid, asking her. “So, what brings you here? Had enough of the big bad world out there already?”

He's secretly pleased to see Mike again, but he does wonder about his reasons. The lawyers don't usually strike up relationships with the workers from the mail room.

Mike sighs. “I'm this close to quitting, if you want to know the truth.” His eyes are cast downwards, like he's inspecting his coffee closely, but Harvey can tell he just doesn't want to look him in the eye.

“Don't quit.” Mike looks up, surprised by the firm statement. “You're playing in the major league. Others would give up anything to be where you are. Make it count. Don't quit.”

He tries to keep any traces of bitterness out of his voice and is glad to succeed. It's not that he grudges Mike his success. He just can't help the familiar pang of a grievance long hidden that shows its ugly head whenever Harvey is reminded of his own shortcomings, of having missed his chance to make it to where this kid already is. Whenever he is reminded that his life may be fine, he just always felt like there should be that much more to it.

But that's his problem, not Mike's.

He regards him closely. Mike seems to have perked up a little at his words, looking less defeated and more determined. There's an air of resolution around him that almost makes Harvey smile.

“Now, tell me about what Louis did.”

“Why do you think Louis did something?”

“Let's just say I've had an... encounter with him,” Harvey informs him. “And I talk to Donna. I know what he's like. Now spill.”

Mike only gnaws on his lip for a second before he sighs and tells him about a faked drug test and Louis' twisted scheme to gain a client.

“Is he insane?” Harvey asks at the end, shaking his head. He knew that Louis was strange, but this is a whole other level.

Mike sighs. “Insanity runs in his family,” he murmurs. “It practically gallops.”

Harvey quirks an eyebrow. “You always watch movies twice as old as you?”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “That quote is a classic. And you know what I was talking about, so I'm not the only one. That movie is from 1944. You're not that old, grandpa.”

Harvey makes a face. “You want me to throw you out? Watch your mouth, kid.”

Mike grins, and for a moment all his trouble seems forgotten. It's a good look on him.

Leaning back, Harvey says, “Anyway, you know what I would do?”

“I'm all ears.”

“Well, he pointed a gun at you that was filled with blanks. You gotta point one with actual bullets at him to let him know who he's dealing with.”

Mike scratches his neck. “Yeah, that sounds good in theory, the problem is just that I don't have any bullets.”

Harvey shrugs. “Maybe it's enough if he thinks you do. Look, I'm no expert on the guy, but if he did that to you? He sure as hell did it to others. You just have to dig a little to get to the dirt.”

Mike suddenly sits up. “Of course,” he mumbles, flashing him a smile as he gets to his feet. “That's actually a really good idea. I gotta go. Thanks for listening!”

“Anytime, kid. And don't quit!” Harvey reminds him sternly. Mike grins at him.

“I won't,” he promises. “I wouldn't see you around anymore if I did, would I?”

Harvey watches him leave with a raised eyebrow, shaking his head lightly as he bites back a smile.

After that day, Harvey keeps running into Mike. Or rather he keeps running into _Harvey._ In the lobby, outside of the elevator, and once, quite literally, at the coffee cart. He always takes the time to chat with him, even when it's in passing and he has to yell down the hall like they are still in high school and not one of the best law firms in the city.

“Someone's late,” he comments when Mike rushes past him one of those days.

“Very helpful,” Mike gives back, trying to clutch the stack of files he's carrying to his chest as he hurries to the door.

“Run, Forrest, run!” Harvey calls after him with a grin, only to be entirely caught off guard when Mike turns around and shouts back, “I'd make a good husband, Jenny. But you won't marry me.”

He disappears before Harvey can reply, leaving him standing there with his half eaten hot dog.

“You don't wanna marry me,” Harvey murmurs to himself, though a smile stays on his lips all the way back to the mail room.

He has no way to prove it, but at some point he begins to suspect that most of their encounters are staged. Not that he minds in the slightest. The thought of Mike running around to catch him instead of just outright asking to meet up is as endearing as it is funny, and one day Harvey just cuts him off and asks, “You got time for a coffee?”

Mike is visibly delighted, stuffing his files in his messenger bag as he hurries after him, and they settle on a bench nearby. Harvey mocks the way Mike takes his coffee and Mike calls him _as bitter as that black beverage from hell you're drinking_ , and his eyes glint in the sun when he grins at him, startling Harvey with their intensity.

It's nice, easy and effortless and entertaining enough to make him forget about having to go back to work afterwards, and Harvey isn't the only one who is sorry to cut the meeting short when it's time to go back. These scarce few minutes with Mike always brighten his day, take his mind off the routine of his work, and he is always sorry to see him go back to his floor. It's validating to see the same sentiment reflected in Mike's disappointed expression.

It still catches him off guard when Mike one day seemingly has enough of their game and asks him out.

He drops by after work – well, after Harvey's work, his rolled up sleeves and missing jacket telling him that Mike is going to be here for a while yet – and smiles when Harvey notices him. “Hey,” he asks, “you wanna meet up sometime this weekend? Saturday maybe?”

Harvey pauses, giving him a surprised look. “Sure,” he says after a beat, his lips curving up. He clears his throat. “I have training in the afternoon, but after that I'm free.”

“Oh? What kind of training do you do?”

“Not me. I coach kids.”

Mike gives him a curious look, but then just nods, probably filing the information away for later.

“You wanna go out for dinner? I know this insane place, they make the best burgers in the city. I promise you'll never want to eat another one after that.”

“I should have known you were a fast food enthusiast,” Harvey remarks dryly. “Fine. Show me those insane burgers. I'll give you my number, you can text me the address?”

“Sure!” Mike smiles. Harvey gives him an expectant look until he frowns. “What?”

“Well, give me your phone.”

“You do realize I can memorize your number?”

Harvey rolls his eyes and holds out his hand. Mike hands him his phone with a sigh. He laughs when he takes it back, checking his contacts.

“Kathleen Kelly? Really?”

“See, it's funny because I work in the mail room and you brought that movie up the first time you stumbled in here.”

Mike smirks at him. “Hmm. Does that make me your Joe Fox?”

“Only if you don't ruin my business. Which is also your business, so you'd really be harming yourself.”

“No one is getting harmed, don't worry.” He pushes himself up from the doorway with a sigh, shooting him an apologetic smile. “Listen, I gotta get back to work, I just came down here to ask if you were free, so... see you on Saturday!”

“Saturday,” Harvey repeats, trying to contain his smile and failing miserably.

He takes out his phone when it vibrates only a few minutes later.

From: Unknown  
_The odd thing about this form of communication is that you're more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that_ _I look forward to Saturday, so that's something :)_

Harvey shakes his head. The grin on his face stays firmly in place.

* * *

Harvey is early. He chooses a table as he waits for Mike, reading the menu twice. The place looks a little shabby, but he has to admit that it has quite the selection.

He is contemplating his choice when Mike arrives, a few minutes late.

“Sorry, I'm so sorry!” he apologizes, sliding into the seat opposite Harvey. His chest heaves as he tries to catch his breath. Harvey purses his lips to hold back a smile at the sight.

“You're only ten minutes late. That's still fashionable.”

“Ugh, I was gonna be on time, I swear. But Louis crossed my plans.” Harvey lifts his eyebrows and he elaborates, “He called me into the office this afternoon, wouldn't take no for an answer. An 'emergency'.” He makes air quotes, then sighs. “Turns out he got wind of a big client he's had his eye on for ages firing Bratton Gould, and he wanted us to make a strategy to close him.”

“Sounds important.”

“Sounds like a waste of my Saturday afternoon,” Mike retorts. “It's not as if that could have waited until Monday.” He takes a deep breath, then smiles at Harvey, his shoulders relaxing. “But I'm here now!”

“And thank god you are. The kids ran me ragged earlier and I'm starving. What can you recommend?”

Mike gives him a grin, and Harvey distantly thinks that he's probably going to regret this, but he can't really bring himself to care.

They order after agreeing to share their burgers, and Harvey leans back as they wait.

“How are things with Louis? You ever found those bullets?”

Mike smiles. “Yeah, I took care of that. He got really offended at first, but I think he kind of respects that I stood up for myself. We're... well, I'd go as far as saying that we're getting along now. Most of the time. We're a good team, when we're on the same wavelength.”

Harvey gives him a skeptical look, and Mike laughs. “I know, he can come across as really weird, but deep down he's not a bad person. He cares about the law. Deeply. And he didn't become senior partner for nothing.”

Harvey hums, unconvinced.

“Really, I'm serious. He's an amazing lawyer. He worked hard to get where he is, and he is damn great at his job.”

The words touch a nerve inside Harvey. He could have been damn great at something, if things had gone differently. It's still a bitter pill to swallow, even after all those years.

“Damn it, _I_ could have been a great lawyer,” he mutters to himself.

Mike only chuckles. “I think you probably could have,” he agrees. “You still could.”

Harvey searches his words for mockery, but finds none.

“Maybe.” He takes a sip of his beer. “So,” he then asks, “what made _you_ decide to become one?”

Mike gives him a look, his lips turning into a half-smile. “You ready to hear a sob story?”

Harvey glances at him, tilting his head in silent invitation to go on, and Mike drops his eyes to the table before he begins, “My parents died when I was eleven. Car accident.”

Harvey swallows, but Mike continues before he can say anything. He tells him about the attorney who took advantage of him and his grandmother, of how she raised him and how he decided to become a lawyer so others wouldn't have to suffer the same injustice, how he struggled with his grief and almost lost his way before getting a grip on himself. Harvey nearly winces at that, being uncomfortably reminded of the fact that _he_ wasn't so lucky. He never found his way back – he couldn't manage in fifteen years what Mike managed in his youth.

Thankfully Mike's story distracts Harvey before those bitter thoughts can engulf him, and soon he has pushed them firmly to the back of his mind where they belong, where they always linger, some days louder than others. Mike tells him a lot about his grandmother, and Harvey can see the deep affection he harbors for her in his eyes.

Their burgers arrive, but they barely find the time to eat because they keep on talking. Harvey speaks about his father, trying not to focus on the grief he still feels but rather the happiness he gave him. He mentions his mother in passing, and Mike just nods and lets him get away with not going into it. They talk about Marcus, and Mike's time at Harvard, and Mike's former best friend who almost pulled him onto a darker path. They talk for hours and through two beers and a milkshake, and neither of them notices the time passing until it's long past dusk.

“It's gotten late,” Harvey realizes when the staff begins to close up the place.

“Oh.” Mike looks disappointed. “Right. I suppose we should go home then.”

They pay and leave together, but not before Mike forces Harvey to admit that the burgers were incredible (Mike's word), and Harvey waits with Mike outside as he hails a taxi. “We can share,” Mike suggests, but Harvey shakes his head.

“It's the opposite direction. I'll walk. It's just a few blocks.”

“Alright. Well, I had a really great time, Harvey.” Mike grins. “See you on Monday?”

“Sure,” Harvey gives back, wondering if Mike is specifically planning on stepping by the mail room for a visit. “See you Monday.”

He steps away as the taxi drives off, then starts making his way home. The city is loud around him, but Harvey is lost in thoughts as snippets of their conversation keep coming back to him, Mike's voice and the sound of his laughter echoing in his ears.

It's a damn great night.

* * *

The two of them going out quickly becomes a regular thing.

“Let me guess,” Harvey says when Mike slides into his seat, still out of breath, “Louis.”

Mike buries his face in his hands and groans. “Some days he's perfectly alright, and then sometimes...”

“What did he do now?”

“We have this case, alright? The stakes are pretty high, but it's not like, a life or death situation. And apparently he thinks I'm not working hard enough, because he just caught me before leaving to give me a five minute speech about burning down the village and being at war. Seriously. He went all 'a private doesn't question his commanding officer' on me. It was _weird_.”

“Hm. I think I preferred the pony metaphor.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure about that.” Mike frowns. “He also prohibited me from having sex, so there’s that.”

“Why the hell did he do that?”

“Clouds my judgment, apparently? God, he's so… can he even do that?”

“Well, he _is_ your commanding officer,” Harvey gives back, trying very hard to quash the images of Mike having sex with someone – or better yet, him – his mind is helpfully conjuring.

Mike snorts. “Fuck this. I need a drink.”

“Wanna get out of here? I know a good bar just a few blocks away. The barkeeper owes me a few.”

Mike's eyes light up. “You're my hero, you know that?”

Now Harvey snorts. “Yeah, alright, kid. You definitely need a drink.”

Mike gets his drink, and then a few on top of that as they settle in at the bar for the night. Harvey listens to Mike complaining about Louis, and Mike laughs about the few stories Harvey dares to tell about Donna. The sounds he makes go straight through Harvey, who is enjoying himself thoroughly.

Both Mike and he get flirted with throughout the night, but Harvey isn't the only one to turn everyone down. They share more than a few amused looks over their drinks, and there's something else in there that Harvey can't name but desperately wants to explore further.

They both have work in the morning, and so they don't drag the evening out despite of how good a time they are having. They aren't drunk when they call it a night, just pleasantly tipsy.

They stumble outside, laughing as they hold on to each other to keep their balance, and Harvey dutifully waits with Mike while he hails a cab. The cool night air is sobering, and when his eyes catch on Mike's there's a warmth pooling in his stomach that has nothing to do with the alcohol.

A taxi pulls over. Mike opens the door, then turns back around. His smile is soft as he says, “Thanks for the drinks.”

“Anytime,” Harvey replies, and then Mike steps closer, pulling him into a hug.

“I'll remind you of that promise,” he murmurs, his hot breath tickling Harvey's ear. Harvey swallows.

“I insist on that,” he replies, drawing back. They look at each other for a beat, and when neither of them makes a move the moment stretches. Harvey could swear that Mike's eyes linger on his lips, and he is just about to tilt his head and lean in when the taxi driver honks. Mike startles out of his stillness, laughing when he catches his eyes.

“Sorry!” he calls into the taxi, then gives Harvey a wave and a grin and gets inside. “See you soon,” he promises and then the door shuts.

Harvey watches him drive away, his lips still tingling with the kiss he almost got.

* * *

They don't see each other the next day, and with the loaded moment between them the last memory on Harvey's mind, he can't help imagining over and over where that moment might have led them if they hadn't been interrupted.

It's hard to focus on work between that and constantly keeping an eye out for Mike, and he can't help the huge smile taking over his features when he returns from his break the day after to find Mike waiting for him at the door, massaging his temples.

“What are you doing here?” Harvey asks, motioning him inside. “Aren't you drowning in work up there?”

“This is for work. “ Harvey lifts his eyebrows. “Louis sent me here.”

“What for?”

Mike sighs. “To ask about the package we're expecting from Carter and Smith. And before you say it, I know it's not here yet.”

“He does understand the mechanism of a mail room, doesn't he? The fact that we get the mail at certain times of the day? That we distribute it to the floors as soon as we get it? That when something isn't here yet we can't send it up?”

“I wouldn't be too sure about that. He's Louis Litt, I still think he's convinced we're going to war at some point.”

Harvey shakes his head. “Well, have a seat. Stay here while I check very thoroughly if we have the package he's looking for. Might take a while, though. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Mike's face lights up with a smile when he winks at him. “Say, would that possibly take long enough to grab a coffee?”

“Only if you make that two.”

“Be right back!”

“Hold on,” Harvey calls after him, changing his mind. “I've still got fifteen minutes of my break left. I'll come with you.”

Mike grins. “Good. I could use getting out of this building for a while.”

“I know, rookie. Come on, I'm buying.”

They sit down on a bench when they have their coffee, and Harvey lets Mike enjoy the silence for a while. He turns his head when he feels his eyes on him.

“So, I've been meaning to ask you something.”

Harvey blows on his steaming coffee, quirking an eyebrow. “Shoot.”

“When are you going to tell me the story behind your free time activities?”

“The coaching?” Harvey asks after a moment of confusion, and Mike nods. “What makes you think there's a story behind that? I'm just teaching some kids baseball.”

“Because.” Mike shrugs. “It's the way you look when you talk about it. Either you just really love children or there's more to it.”

Harvey regards him intently for a while. “I wanted to be a professional player when I was young,” he then begins. “I was going to be one. I was really good at what I did. I had the talent and the dedication to make something out of it. But during my senior year I missed out on playing in the state championship because I injured my shoulder. Couldn't pitch with a bad shoulder.” He smiles wryly. “I suppose I got knocked into a different life after that. Haven't really found my way back since.” He swallows at the admission. “I guess I just always thought there would be more. That I would do more.”

He grimaces at the sound of that. He hates talking about this, sounding ungrateful and whiny even to his own ears. It's not that he's unhappy with where he is. His job pays well, he just got promoted, he has stability. But it's not what he imagined for himself, and it's far below what he knows he _could_ be doing, and it just doesn't sit right with him.

He looks up when Mike speaks. “It's not too late, you know? I know people always say that and it's a bit of a cliché, but you can still change course. You're what, thirty-five? There was a fifty year old woman in my year at Harvard, and she wasn't an exception. It's not uncommon to start over. It's never too late for that.”

Harvey wants to say that he wouldn't even know where to start, that he never allowed himself to dream about things that were out of his reach after he missed his chance at success, but he looks at Mike and he knows that he understands without him having to say it.

His eyes drop down when Mike covers his hand with his, squeezing once. He swallows, his throat suddenly dry.

“Maybe it's not,” he agrees.

* * *

The elevator pings when Harvey reaches the 50th floor. Everything still looks as fancy as he remembers it. He has been here before, but not in a while, and he makes a quick stop at Donna's desk before he scans the room in search of Mike. He only recognizes him from the mussy strands of blond hair when he lays eyes on him, since that's all that's visible of him.

Harvey makes his way over to his desk, watching him crouch over some file for a moment before he leans over the cubicle with a smile. “Busy saving lives? Or destroying them?”

Mike jumps in his seat. “Harvey!” His face lights up, and Harvey grins in return. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey hotshot. Haven't seen you at the lower levels in a while, thought I'd check up on you to make sure you're still alive.”

“I wish I wasn't,” Mike mutters.

Harvey lifts an eyebrow. “So you're actually busy and didn't just grow tired of me?”

Mike shoots him a look, then explains, “I meant to text you or come down at one point, but there's just always something else to do. I've been practically living here for the past few days. We have this huge case going on right now and Louis isn't-”

“Mike! What are you doing?”

“Letting me out of his sight,” he finishes, closing his eyes for a moment. “Louis, this is Harvey Specter. He works in the mail room, I believe you've met.”

Louis' eyes narrow. “Yeah, I know who he is.” He steps closer to Harvey, pushing out his chest as he raises his chin. “What are you doing up here?”

Harvey gives him a canting smile. “Bringing Mike his mail.”

“Oh, is that so? Where is it? Why are you bringing it to him personally?”

“Because,” Harvey says, producing an envelope out of his breast pocket, “this is highly sensitive and confidential and needed to get to Mike as soon as possible.”

He hands Mike the envelope with a very serious expression, winking at him when Mike stifles a grin. He clears his throat. “Yeah, sorry, Louis, this just couldn't wait.”

The envelope contains a plain card with the words _Let me know when you're free again so I can take you out_ written on it. Mike grins as he reads it, angling it away from Louis' curious gaze.

“I agree to the terms,” he tells Harvey, who nods and turns to leave. “Louis,” he acknowledges, brushing past him to get back to the elevator. He can hear Louis interrogating Mike about the content of the envelope as soon as he turns his back.

* * *

In hindsight, the bar probably wasn't the best idea. Only that it was, as far as Harvey is concerned, and Mike seemed to think so too at the time it was happening and... everything afterwards, and he isn't quite sure where things went wrong exactly, but he wishes he knew so he could go back and fix it.

It all starts when another full week goes by during which Harvey sees and hears nothing of Mike. He knows he is busy and he knows he'll let him know when he's free, but it still weighs heavily on his mood. They have seen each other all the time ever since Mike stumbled into the mail room, sometimes daily and most recently every other weekend too. Harvey isn't accustomed to radio silence, and he has to stop himself from reaching out several times.

It's a Wednesday when Mike finally shows up at the mail room, dark circles under his eyes but brimming with excitement. “I'm free!” he shouts at Harvey when he appears, startling him before a smile spreads on his lips.

“Case is done?”

“Put to rest for good, and we goddamn showed them who's the boss, baby.”

Harvey smirks. “Then I suppose congratulations are in order.”

Mike tilts his head in a mock bow. “Thank you, kind sir. Now. When do you get off? I'm ready to toast to that.”

Harvey scrutinizes him. “Don't you wanna go home and sleep?”

“Are you kidding? I'm still high on adrenaline, I can sleep when I'm dead. And I haven't seen you in like, a year, and you still owe me, so let's go out and celebrate!”

Mike practically shouts the last bit, and Harvey has to keep himself from laughing. Slipping into his jacket, he asks, “Drinks?”

Mike gives him a huge grin. “Now we're talking.”

They go to the bar Harvey considers theirs by now, clinking glasses to Mike's success and his temporary new freedom, and to being back together.

They drink as they catch up, laughing about Louis and discussing the case and Donna's latest obsession with the coffee shop two blocks from the firm, and it feels great to be back here, doing this with Mike like the dozens of other times they've gone out.

Only that it isn't exactly like those other times.

Harvey isn't sure if his memory is failing him, but he doesn't remember Mike touching him quite this often before this case. Moreover, he doesn't remember giving in to the urge to do the same so easily. It's like they are magnets, one of them leads somewhere and the other follows, no questions asked.

And sure, it's loud inside the bar and they have to sit closely together, but that doesn't explain why they practically end up in each other's lap in a dark corner. Not that either of them complains about it. Neither of them makes a move either, but the balance has shifted, and Harvey is filled with the exciting feeling that anything's on. His stomach tingles with excitement at the prospect, and he tries to soothe it with another drink.

“It's late,” Mike complains when he checks the time, every fiber of his body proclaiming that he doesn't want to go yet. “Ugh. I need to be a responsible lawyer in the morning, but I'm so not ready to go home.”

“Relax, Clarence Thomas. It's one night out, you deserve that. Come on, the next round's on me.”

So they stay at the bar because they can't really find a good reason not to, and somehow they drink a little more than they probably should, because three hours later Harvey is in Mike's bed, sucking his cock like his life depends on it.

Mike is making the most delicious noises above him, clutching him in a way that has Harvey moaning around him, and when he comes he only takes a moment to catch his breath before pulling him up and flipping them over, giving Harvey the most enthusiastic blowjob of his life. It's messy and wet in all the right ways, and Harvey doesn't take long either, too wind up by their game of flirting that has been going on for months.

Mike crawls up his body and they share a few lazy kisses before the alcohol and their exhaustion gets the better of them. They fall asleep in each other's arms, and Harvey for one hasn't slept this well in ages.

* * *

Being startled awake in the morning by an unfamiliar alarm isn't exactly his favorite way to start the day.

Harvey frowns at the interruption, quite sure that he has had at least five hours too little sleep. Someone hustles next to him to turn the sound off, and then it's quiet save for a deep intake of breath. Too quiet.

He opens his eyes and is faced with Mike, chest bare and hair a wild mess, bringing back memories of the previous night in a rush and staring at him in utter shock.

That isn't exactly the reaction he is used to the morning after. Harvey swallows and opens his mouth to ask if he's alright when something in Mike's expression changes. The shock disappears as he shuts down quicker than Harvey can look, running a hand through his hair as he gives a startled laugh, his voice just slightly off.

“Wow. We sure as hell celebrated last night, huh?” He pulls his knees to his chest, swallowing as he inspects the duvet. Harvey is just about to ask if there is a reason why he won't meet his eyes when Mike glances at him. “God, we were so drunk.”

There's a beat of silence. Harvey feels like he is being treated to a cold shower. Way to start the day. He clears his throat. “Yeah.”

Harvey wasn't that drunk, really. Mike meets his eyes for a split second before they flicker to the ground.

“Look, I gotta get to work or Louis is going to kill me. You... stay here. If you want.”

He laughs again, scratching his ear as he climbs out of bed, pulling the sheet around himself in a belated attempt to recover his modesty. As if they weren't enthusiastically sucking each other off just a few hours ago.

Harvey doesn't really know what to do with all this, and it's way too early to face this kind of rejection or the consequences thereof, so he just does as Mike told him and stays in bed, closing his eyes as he rolls onto his stomach, trying to block out what is happening around him.

Mike stumbles around the apartment while he hugs the pillow to his chest, inhaling the scent he immediately recognizes as Mike's and hating himself for it.

“Okay, I gotta run. Um, feel free to make yourself some breakfast if you find anything in the fridge. I'll leave you my keys, can you just drop them off when you get in later?”

Harvey opens his eyes and turns to look at him. “Of course.”

Mike nods, hesitating as he lingers in the doorway. “We're good, aren't we? This doesn't... it doesn't change things, right? We can just go back to normal.”

Just when Harvey thought he couldn't rub any more salt in the wound.

He smiles tightly. “Sure.”

Mike looks relieved. “Okay. Great. I wouldn't wanna lose you over something stupid like this.” He laughs, still a little unsure, then jerks his head towards the door. “Anyway. Gotta go. See you later.”

“Later,” Harvey echoes when the door falls shut with a click.

The thing is, Harvey was a hundred percent sure that the kid was flirting with him. Hell, he flirted back like his life depended on it. He doesn't usually question his perception in this particular area, he knows when he's being courted and he responds to it. But now that he's in Mike's bed and Mike is gone and his only words on the matter were _we were so drunk_ , he realizes how wrong he got it.

It makes sense, the longer he thinks about it. Mike is more than just a little out of his league, isn't he? He doesn't think that Mike cares about Harvey's job, after all he's the one who kept seeking him out, but the thought of him being interested in him that way still boggles the mind, and now he understands why. Really, it makes perfect sense.

It's not that Harvey thinks himself unattractive or without any redeeming qualities. It's just that Mike is a _lawyer._ He's successful, probably earning a shitload of money, and has a promising future. And Harvey has been working in the mail room for years. They are so far apart that they are not even on the same spectrum. There is no way they can collide. Lawyers go for lawyers, isn't that what they always say?

Harvey slips out of bed to gather his clothes, mocking him with the way they are scattered around the apartment, telling a story of passion he is now sure was completely one-sided. He gets dressed quickly, hovering in the doorway without looking back before he shuts the door behind him with a final click.

So this is just another thing Harvey thought he would have in his life but won't. He should be used to it, really.

Doesn't mean that it isn't hurting like a motherfucker.

* * *

Harvey doesn't 'stay friends' with past flings. He just doesn't. And yet he fails to even consider cutting Mike out of his life, and if that's not a sign that he's in way too deep then he doesn't know what is.

So they stay friends. And it's not awkward, because Harvey tries his damn hardest not to let it get to that, but it's not exactly right either.

Because he doesn't have friends he is as close with as he is with Mike. If he were an outsider, watching their behavior, he'd laugh and give them a week, maybe two before they got their shit together.

But Mike doesn't want him as anything more than a friend, despite not being straight, despite having enjoyed their night together as much as Harvey did. Tough luck.

What's also tough luck is that Mike doesn't exactly make it easy for him to be _just friends_. It's like personal boundaries don't exist between them. Sometimes they are so close that Harvey can hear every breath Mike draws, and the urge to reach out becomes overwhelming, but he never allows himself to do it. Mike made it clear that this is something he isn't interested in having with Harvey, and so he firmly stays on his side of the line he has drawn.

It's only a few weeks later when Mike starts gushing about his new girlfriend, some Jenny he used to be friends with. It doesn't last, but there's another girl soon after, and that's how Harvey knows he really didn't mean anything by sleeping with him that one time, because he starts dating like no one's business. Dating exclusively women, as far as Harvey can tell.

Well, so much for that.

Harvey is trying to let it go, he really is. The thing is, once he has latched onto an idea he has a really hard time letting it go again - hence his bitterness about his unsuccessful life, hence his bitterness about the situation with Mike.

The idea is, frankly, that he's a goddamn failure.

He's failed at his baseball career, he's failed at making something out of his life, he's failed at keeping the one person close he desperately wants, and that's just one thing too many.

He has missed so many chances in his life. And Mike not wanting to be with him that way may not have something to do with Harvey's lack of success in other areas, but the two things have become connected in his head in a way he can't undo.

Well, he can't make Mike want him either. But he _could_ do something about the rest.

Mike said so himself. It's not too late. And Harvey never seriously contemplated the idea, too ridden by what he now recognizes as fear of more failure. But he is so goddamn sick of failing now. He is tired of looking back on his life and his choices and feeling disdain for what he sees. And he knows, deep down, that this isn't who he is. He's Harvey Specter, and there was a time when that meant that nothing could defeat him.

He isn't someone who wallows in self-pity because his life sucks. He is someone who gets up and does something about it. He doesn't shy away from a challenge, he doesn't give up when it's hard. He used to be a fighter. Somewhere along the way he got lost, but it's not too late to find his way back. Because now he has lived through an unsuccessful life, and he knows that it's something he doesn't want. He can't make Mike change his mind about him. He can't undo the past decade of inactivity.

But he can still make something out of his life.

It's a dangerous thought, because it fills him with hope, infects him so he can't get it out of his system. But now that he keeps thinking about it, he finds that he doesn't want to. He could go back to school. He could get a degree, build something for himself. Get out of that goddamn mail room.

It's not impossible. There are night classes he could take. He has the whole width and breadth of academic paths to choose from.

What would he do? Become a lawyer? Possible, but not the first thing on his mind. He considers his interests, weighs possible choices against each other and finds himself coming back to his failed baseball career time and time again. He knows that playing is not an option, but there is something about the idea of making right what went wrong all those years ago that won't leave him alone. And once that thought crosses his mind it stays. The idea spreads, makes a home in his head until he can't think of anything else.

That weekend, Harvey starts researching his options.

There are several schools offering part-time evening degrees. Harvey looks into all of them, even finding a good one not far from the firm. He considers going to his classes straight after work and finds that he likes the idea.

He thinks it through over the weekend, and when he begins to plan how he's going to balance work, coaching, and classes, he knows that he's made up his mind.

Harvey Specter is going to business school.

The decision fills him with a rush of pride he hasn't felt in a long time, not about himself. It sounds good in his head, but he has a feeling it will sound even better when he says it out loud.

“I have something to tell you,” he announces to Mike over drinks the next time they go out.

“O-kay?” Mike gives him a questioning look, but lifts his chin to signal him to continue.

“I've made a decision,” Harvey begins, “about my life.”

“You're emigrating,” Mike says, clutching his chest in pretended shock.

Harvey gives him a look, not gracing him with a reply. “I'm going to enroll at business school,” he declares instead.

Clearly that is not what Mike expected. His mouth falls open as he stares at him, surprise written on his face. “You what? Seriously?”

His voice is dripping with excitement and Harvey nods, unable to stop the smile spreading on his face when Mike lights up with a massive grin.

“Harvey, that is _great_ news! I had no idea you were thinking about this. Oh my god, you're gonna kick _ass!_ ”

He takes his glass with a grin, then halts. A frown crosses his face. “Does that mean that you're leaving town?”

Harvey shakes his head. “It's an evening degree, so I'll still be working at Pearson Hardman.”

Mike nods, looking relieved at that. “How does that work then?”

“I'll have three classes per week, usually for three or four hours in the evening, over a three-year period.”

“Sounds manageable.”

Harvey nods as well. Mike regards him with an approving smile, affirming Harvey in the knowledge that he's made the right choice.

“So why business?”

“Why not?” Harvey lifts his beer to take a sip. “I could have chosen law school, but I think I've been around enough lawyers in my life, I don't need to become one myself.”

“Ouch. That hurts. If you're getting tired of me just say so,” Mike jokes, and Harvey kicks him under the table, rolling his eyes fondly.

“You being a lawyer isn't your worst quality by far, so if I do it's not gonna be because of that.”

“Flattering.”

“It's called honesty.” He takes another sip, then returns from the banter. “You can do a lot with a business degree. I'm thinking about starting a project for disadvantaged kids who want to get into baseball. It's just an idea, but I like it.”

“It sounds awesome. I'm sure you'll succeed if you put your mind to it.”

“Well, let's focus on getting that degree first,” Harvey says lightly, feeling immensely pleased by Mike's unshakable faith in him.

“You are so getting that degree, and then you'll go off and do great stuff. This is so exciting, Harvey. We need to drink to that!” Mike raises his glass with a huge grin.

“To becoming successful,” he announces, and Harvey clinks it, repeating the words back to him. For the first time since he can remember, they don't leave a bitter taste in his mouth.

* * *

It's only a matter of enrolling once everything is decided, and after the summer Harvey is officially starting business school.

It feels somewhat strange to go back to classes, but it's not like he remembers high school. He has a different mindset today than he had back then, for one, and the material he's studying is challenging in all the right ways. The fact that the other students are all closer to his age than that of a high school student helps, too.

Mike interrogates him about the courses after his first week, seemingly more excited about the whole thing than Harvey.

Harvey doesn't expect himself to really _enjoy_ the courses. He is determined to do what he needs to do in order to stay on top, but a few weeks pass and he is surprised to find that he actually likes it. Some of the study matter is more interesting than other parts, and he's often tired and unwilling to sit down and study, but once he does he realizes that it's good for him. He is busier than he can ever remember being, but it feels fulfilling to use his brain and see results in a way he has never realized before.

He also has a goal, something to work towards, and when his first exams roll around he is determined to prove himself.

He feels a burst of pride when he gets his results, going from an A to a B-, and the satisfaction is only made better by seeing the same pride reflected back at him in Mike's expression when he tells him about it.

* * *

Once Harvey is halfway through his first year, he starts making connections.

“You can never start too early,” he tells Mike, who has given him a surprised look when he's seen him on the 50th floor, shaking Jessica Pearson's hand before following her into her office.

“So you what, made a deal with her?”

Harvey smirks. “I merely reminded her of the hard work I've done for this firm for the last decade, mentioned an instance or two where I prevented a major catastrophe, and then asked her for an invitation to the next big event.”

“And she gave it to you?”

Harvey takes out an envelope from his breast pocket. “Damn right she did.”

Mike whistles. “You just closed Jessica Pearson. I knew you'd be good, but _damn_. That's impressive.”

“I'm gonna be even better,” Harvey announces, safely storing the envelope away again. “You just wait.”

His first year is drawing to a close fast, and Harvey is gaining his footing in the world of business. He is also balancing work, coaching, school, events with important people whenever he has the chance and the semblance of a social life, which mostly consists of Mike these days. Donna sometimes joins them when they go out, and the two of them keep in touch outside of that, but it's always Mike he wants to come home to at the end of his usually long days. Mike, who has become his closest friend and study partner at his own insistence, who still drives Harvey insane with his soft hair and blue eyes and bleeding heart and his damn unattainability and is yet the only one he ever thinks about. Harvey has never been one for prolonged unrequited pining, but he supposes there's a first time for everything. If that is the price he has to pay in exchange for keeping Mike close, so be it.

And if they are one thing, it's _close_.

When Harvey opens the door to his apartment the following Friday, Mike is already there.

“Hey,” he says, taking his feet from the coffee table. The sight isn't uncommon. He has a key to Harvey's apartment and doesn't shy away from showing up whenever he pleases. Harvey has gotten used to feeling like he is sharing his home with someone again. He actually enjoys it. “I checked your fridge and there's still nothing edible in there, so I ordered pizza.”

“Good. I'm starving.”

“Long day?”

“Terribly long,” Harvey says around a yawn. He glances at the clock. “Though it's still early for you. Didn't you have that thing to attend tonight?”

“Louis let me off the hook.”

Harvey lifts his eyebrows, impressed, and Mike grins. “I have him wrapped around my finger.”

“No, you don't.”

“No, I don't,” he agrees. “But sometimes it's nice to pretend.”

Harvey goes to change, and when he returns it's just in time for the pizza. They sit on the sofa as they share, not talking about anything in particular. It's relaxing enough to just be in Mike's presence. He never makes Harvey feel like he has to pretend.

“Hey, there's this gala the firm is hosting next month,” Mike brings up when his hunger is satisfied. “You wanna come as my plus one?”

The lowlier workers at Pearson Hardman don't usually get an invitation to those fancy events, and Mike has taken to asking Harvey to come with him, knowing he's trying to get talking with certain people higher up the ranks. Sometimes he accepts the invitation, but it's a rare thing.

Harvey considers the offer, but then shakes his head. “I'll pass, but thanks.”

Mike just nods, not taking offense. He understands why Harvey prefers not to, it's not personal but rather the need to stand on his own two feet, and he respects that.

“So,” he changes the topic, “what's happening tonight? You wanna study?”

Harvey groans. “Want is a gross exaggeration, but I will. Gotta stay on top.”

Mike chuckles. “As if you'd ever fall behind. Come on, I'll quiz you. We can watch a movie when we're done. I'll even let you choose.” Mike is relentless about helping Harvey study, always there to push and encourage him with quizzing and treats, despite the fact that Harvey is doing just fine without all the coaxing. Though he can't say that he minds.

Harvey throws him a hopeful glance. “The Wrath of Khan?”

“ _We're all with you, sir. But, consider this. We are free. We have a ship, and the means to go where we will._ “

“Damn, I love you,” Harvey murmurs, and it's supposed to be light and funny, but somehow it doesn't feel like it. There's a beat of silence before Mike smiles at him.

“Don't I know it. Now get your ass over here, Captain, the fleet doesn't wait for anyone.”

“Wait, I take it back.”

“Ah-ah. No take-backsies. You're stuck with me for life anyway, so just embrace it.”

“What a terrible prospect,” Harvey remarks, but they both know what he really means to say is, _thank god I am._

* * *

Time goes by so fast it feels like the blink of an eye.

Some things change. Mike gets promoted to senior associate and they go out to celebrate all night before crashing at Mike's apartment. Donna starts seeing someone and this time it's serious enough for her to tell them about it. Mike's grandmother dies and Mike shows up at Harvey's in the middle of the night, and Harvey smokes up with him despite his rules against it and doesn't let him go home by himself for a whole week.

Others stay the same. They still meet up for drinks or dinner. They hang out at each other's apartments all the time. They study together, watch movies together, make fun of Louis together, and the deep companionship they develop in the process is nothing either of them wants to miss.

Harvey sails through his exams and completes his first year of business school, and before he knows it his second year is well underway, and then it's only the third left. The study matter doesn't get easier, he just gets better.

Mike's own workload just barely eases when he stops being at the end of the pecking order, but he is always down for a cramming session with Harvey when exams are close. Harvey doesn't even ask, most of the time Mike just shows up at his place with a family pizza and enough Red Bull to pull an all-nighter.

Harvey uses these occasions to tell him that he's ridiculous and he can study on his own just fine, but Mike insists and Harvey doesn't really try to stop him. He secretly craves those study sessions, when it's just them and half a dozen books and the clock telling them that it's well into the night, making it feel like it's just the two of them in their own little bubble. Harvey absorbs the attention Mike gives him during those sessions like air, appreciating every minute while desperately wishing it meant more than it does. That Mike is doing this for another reason than that he is just that good of a friend. But it's not more, and Harvey tells himself that it's enough.

He tells himself every day, but so far he hasn't managed to believe it.

* * *

“Come _on_ , Harvey.”

“Ugh. Leave me alone.”

“Nope. Not a chance. It's the last exam, you gotta kick ass.”

Harvey throws his head back with a groan, and Mike nudges him with his feet resting on his lap like they belong there.

“I've kicked ass for almost three years. I know everything there is to know. What the hell do you want from me?”

“You got three questions wrong just now. I want you to get a perfect score.”

“Yeah, well, not all of us have an eidetic memory.”

“You do realize memorizing all that without one is much more impressive, right? Come on, I'm gonna force you to do this one way or another.”

“You're cruel. Why do I keep you around?”

“I'm a delight and you adore me. Now stop wallowing about and get your head in the game. _Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever,_ right?” He pauses, and when he speaks again his voice is warmer. “You know I only do this because I know you have it in you to get a perfect score.”

Harvey glances at him, the corner of his lips quirking up. “I know.”

They sit in silence for a moment.

“Just one more exam and you're done,” Mike says again, as though he is only now realizing it.

“Weird, isn't it?”

Mike lifts his eyebrows, kicking him gently in the thigh. “Guess I won't be seeing you at work anymore.”

“Guess not.” Harvey hasn't resigned yet, but he's going to hand in his two weeks notice after the exam. He nudges Mike with his elbow, raising an eyebrow. “Don't think for a second that that means you're getting rid of me, though.”

Mike smiles, and after everything they have gone through over the past years he looks as confident as Harvey feels that he's telling the truth. It will be weird not being around each other all the time anymore, yes, but they are stronger than to let this drive them apart. “Wouldn't dream of it.”

Harvey smiles back at him, then sits up with a sigh. “Okay,” he says, closing his hand around Mike's ankle. “We're going through it one more time. I wanna ace this exam, so hit me with your best shot.”

* * *

Harvey graduates top of his class, and Mike is the proudest friend ever.

He accepts Harvey's incidental invitation to the ceremony before he even finishes asking, wearing his best suit as he accompanies him.

It's a sunny Saturday. There aren't that many people and it's nowhere near as fancy as Mike's graduation, but he thinks it's perfect. He takes a hundred pictures of the ceremony and is the first to get up when Harvey is called onto the stage, applauding louder than anyone else in the room. He hurries towards him as soon as everything is wrapped up, barely giving him a warning before he pulls him close and draws him into a hug. Harvey's arms close around him so tightly that he can hardly breathe, but he couldn't care less.

“I'm so proud of you,” he murmurs into his ear, the words finally spilling out of him. He has thought them every day for three years, spending hours wishing he could just say them, wishing Harvey and he were more and that night they shared meant as much to Harvey as it did to him, wishing it had happened under different circumstances or Harvey had said that no, he did want this after all. He held back all this time, but he doesn't care anymore now. He is so proud of Harvey, and he _needs_ to tell him. Harvey needs to know. “So, so proud. You did it. And you know what? I think you were always supposed to end up here. The major league. You're right at home there.”

Harvey chuckles lowly, and Mike can feel the vibrations going through his body. “Guess I just took the long way around.”

“Nothing wrong with that.” He draws back reluctantly, beaming at him. “I can't believe you're done.”

“Oh, I'm not done yet,” Harvey states ominously, smirking at him. “I'm only just getting started.”

“What, right now?”

“Well, in about an hour. I have an appointment,” he says. “Care to join me?”

Of course Mike joins him. He follows him into the city hall without question, thinking that whatever Harvey is up to, he's going to find out soon. What he doesn't expect is the mayor himself to show up, apparently not just recognizing Harvey but shaking his hand and motioning him into his office. Harvey pulls Mike along, and he sits down beside him, curious to see where this is going.

Once the mayor has congratulated Harvey, he leans back with a smile. “Now, you were telling me you had an offer for me I couldn't refuse. Care to elaborate?”

Harvey smirks. “Just sit back and listen, because this is gonna be the best goddamn idea anyone has pitched to you in ages. I'm starting a charity, and I want you to back me.”

“What kind of charity are we talking about?”

“We aim to support and train children and young adults with disabilities, injuries, or other disadvantages who can't play baseball on a regular team to give them a shot at still making it to the major leagues.”

“An interesting cause,” the mayor acknowledges. “And what makes your charity so special?” he wants to know, though Mike can tell from the eager attention he's giving Harvey that he's intrigued.

“Well, for one, it's great publicity. It's been a bit quiet around our community lately, hasn't it? This city could use something fresh from the inside, something by us, for us. We're a role model to the whole world, everyone's eyes are on us. We set a good example, others will follow, and we'll get the credit for it. But that's not the main point. Just think of the opportunity this would give to the community of this city, to those who usually get left behind.”

He pulls out a folder, handing it to the mayor with a smile. “These five different sponsors agree with me, and we're only just getting started. Baseball is an integral part of American culture, as is the idea that anyone can make it if they are willing to try, and what better way to show that this city embodies the American spirit than kicking off a project like this?”

Oh, Harvey is _good_. He really could have been a lawyer, with the way he is charming the mayor. Mike listens avidly, feeling prouder with every passing minute. The good cause he has chosen brings a smile to his lips. Harvey may never have gotten his second chance, but he's going to make sure that others do.

He is caught by surprise when at one point Harvey turns to him.

“We also work with one of the best lawyers of the best firm in this city, Mike Ross from Pearson Hardman. He's taking care of our legal representation.”

That is news to Mike, but when he catches Harvey's eyes he is only nodding at him. Mike bites back a smile as he returns his gaze to the mayor. He looks impressed, and Mike catches himself and straightens as he says, “We couldn't be more thrilled to represent Harvey and his charity. He's doing amazing work, and we're proud to take part in that.”

After that there isn't much left to say. Harvey discloses his business plan and Mike watches him with a swelling chest, trying to reconcile this man with the one he met in the mail room all that time ago, so unhappy with where he was and with no confidence that he could get to where he is now. Well, he did, and he is clearly not messing around.

Mike knows it's a done deal before Harvey even finishes speaking, and the mayor just waves his hand to ask for the paperwork he needs to put his name on.

They part with a signed contract in their bag and long, firm handshakes, and Mike can barely hold it together until they are out of the building.

“Oh. My. _God!_ ” he yelps once they are outside, turning on the spot to grip Harvey's arm. “You just closed the mayor. The goddamn mayor. Harvey, I can't believe it! You literally just graduated and you already closed the mayor!”

Harvey looks pretty pleased himself, but Mike is over the moon. He crushes Harvey in a hug so tight it must have cut off his breathing momentarily, but he is too ecstatic to care. “I am literally _so_ proud of you, Harvey, you have no idea. God, you're gonna kick everyone's ass. You'll be so great.”

Then he pulls back to beam at him. “By the way, when were you gonna tell me you were hiring me?”

“Is that a joke? I thought it was obvious.” Harvey looks at him, and his features soften. “Mike, you're not only the best lawyer I know and the only one I would trust with my life. I also couldn't have done this without you. Any of it.”

Mike steps forward and puts his hands on Harvey's shoulders. “I think you could do whatever you set your mind to, Harvey.”

He lifts his eyebrows when Harvey scrutinizes him, looking torn before a look of determination crosses him, and Mike doesn't even have the time to ask before Harvey steps in and cradles his face, only looking at him for a second before kissing him square on the mouth.

For a full second Mike forgets to breathe. Then he melts into the kiss, responding entirely by instinct to the exhilarating sensation of Harvey's lips on his, learned so long ago but never forgotten.

Harvey lets out a small sound as he deepens the kiss, but Mike is too distracted to interpret it. He only parts from him to take a deep breath, the reality of what they are doing suddenly dawning on him.

“Holy _shit_.” He kisses him again, then draws back abruptly. “Are you telling me that we could have had this years ago?”

“I'm telling you that we can sure as hell have it now, so you better shut up and get back to goddamn kissing me.”

Mike doesn't need to be told twice. He dives right into the kiss, licking over Harvey's lip as he begs entrance, pouring every second of excruciating pining he has gone through over the past few years into the touch.

When they part again, both their chests are heaving. Mike takes a shaky breath, blinking at Harvey as he asks, “Long way around?”

“Yeah.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” he murmurs. Then Harvey seeks Mike's lips again, and Mike, smiling into the kiss, wraps his arms around his neck and holds on tightly.

He is the proudest boyfriend ever.

**Author's Note:**

> The movies Mike and Harvey referenced are You’ve Got Mail, Arsenic and Old Lace, Forrest Gump, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, and The Replacements.
> 
> English isn't my native language, so please forgive any mistakes :) Got anything to say? Questions, feedback, concrit? Comments make me very, very happy!


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